Re: Boston Globe Online / Sports / WWZN cuts staff and programming

[Dan.Strassberg@att.net]

As I've explained repeatedly in posts here over the years, WITS was really 
stuck. They probably should have retained the Quincy site for daytime operation 
or worked out a deal with 1260 to diplex from its site during the day, but they 
were pretty well stuck for a night site and there weren't many other choices. 
WITS had to have a night site that was northwest of Boston and not too far 
away. Also, back then, the whole technology of diplexing directional AMs was 
relatively untried (there WERE diplexes, but mostly of nondirectional 
stations). Since then, the problems with finding suitable AM sites have given a 
lot of impetus to development of the technology. The original lease terms were 
not as onerous as the present ones. I think the lease was for 99 years, but it 
called for periodic renegotiation of the rent. I think the first renegotiation 
took place a couple of years ago and it resulted in increasing the rent from 
$15,000/month to the current rate, which I've heard is either $20,000 or 
$25,000.

Because ABC already owns 1260, a diplex of 1510 with 1260 would obviously be 
easiest if ABC were to buy 1510. The 1260 sticks would probably allow 1510 to 
have a quite useful day pattern. Nights are more problematical. I doubt whether 
50 kW night would be possible from the Milton location. The big issue is a long-
deleted 1510 station in Sherbrooke PQ, about 200 miles due north of Boston. The 
Sherbrooke station, though now dark for at least 15 years, is still notified to 
the US and so must be protected. Unless Canada can be pursuaded to relinquish 
the allocation--something that Canada has hardly ever done--1510 would be 
limited to a low night power, probably less than 5 kW. However, the 1260 site 
has a key advantage over 1510's old Quincy site. The 1260 site is west of the 
State St South office complex, whose construction was the final nail in the 
coffin for 1510's operation from its old site, which was east of the office 
complex. The State St South construction absolutely ruined 1510's already 
miserable night signal in areas west of Boston.

The layout of 1260s towers would make for a rather broad night pattern on 1510, 
which would probably force the use of a power lower than 5 kW--not good for 
1510. But who knows, maybe it would be possible to add additional towers--
although I wouldn't count on it. Milton is a rather tony suburb and the NIMBYs 
are likely to come out of the woodwork at the drop of a hat.

--
dan.strassberg@att.net
617-558-4205
eFax 707-215-6367
> 20,000 A MONTH?????
> How on earth did WITS ever wind up with such a bad land deal? Were the 
> options for going 50k in 1979 that limited that they had to be outside 
> Waverley Sq????
> 
> Carry the Disney idea one step further...could 1510 go back to 
> Quincy/Milton and go back to 50 day 5 night????
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 2:00PM -0500, Dan.Strassberg@att.net wrote:
> >
> > WWZN's biggest drawback is the lease on its transmitter site, which 
> > eats the
> > first $20,000 or $25,000 of monthly revenue. (If revenues don't cover 
> > that nut,
> > the owner has to do so or the station will go dark, rendering the 
> > license
> > worthless.) Still, the prime candidate to buy the